Pearl Capital Partners

Overview

Pearl Capital Partners is an independent agriculture investment management firm specializing in providing risk capital to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the agriculture value chain in Eastern and Southern Africa. Established in 2005, the firm has managed four agri-focused funds, including the African Seed Investment Fund (ASIF), a US$9 million fund raised in 2010 with AGRA as the sole investor. ASIF invested in 13 seed companies across seven countries in East and Southern Africa. The firm's mission is to provide medium to long-term capital to ambitious entrepreneurs aiming to build sustainable and profitable agribusinesses while generating significant and measurable social and developmental impact. Pearl Capital Partners has invested in over 48 agribusinesses, strengthening agricultural sub-sectors and utilizing smallholder farmer networks to generate significant income for millions of families across East Africa. Their investments include companies like Sesaco Limited, an agro-processing company manufacturing soy-based products; CECOFA, a primary processor and exporter of coffee organized through a smallholder farmers’ co-operative structure; and Chemiphar, an internationally accredited analytical lab. The firm operates offices in Kampala, Uganda, and Nairobi, Kenya, and administers portfolio management on behalf of the Yield Uganda Investment Fund, a €20 million agricultural fund launched in 2017, and the African Agricultural Capital Fund (AACF), a US$25 million agricultural fund launched in 2011. Pearl Capital Partners focuses on sectors such as agriculture, food processing, agro-processing, coffee, dairy, horticulture, seed production, poultry, meat processing, organic farming, supply chain services, business training, investment, poverty alleviation, and rural development. The firm invests between US$250,000 and US$2 million in growing agricultural SMEs in East Africa, typically using a combination of equity, quasi-equity, equity-related, and debt investments, delivering top quartile financial returns to investors while creating significant positive social impact on smallholder farmers.

Investment Focus

• Focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agriculture value chain
• Preference for companies with significant social impact
• Interest in businesses with high growth potential
• Willingness to engage in equity, quasi-equity, or debt investments
• Alignment with the firm's mission of generating measurable social and developmental impact

Portfolio Companies